Saving me
by ohmycarlisletwilight23
Summary: John and Margaret both start at manchester university, they are in the same class, they are thrown together, does it lead to something more, with Hannah as one of the lecturers what will happen i also suck at summaries 1st N&S fic


Title: Saving me

Chapter one: The Day Our Eyes Meet

Synopsis: this is my first attempt at a north and south fic, it is a modern fic when Margaret and John are at uni together, with Hannah as one of their lectures love and trouble ensues.

Margaret's first day at university she was sure was not going to be anything but normal, saying goodbye to her parents was something that she never thought she would ever have to do, but going to Manchester University it was expected, she could not expect them to move from the quite suburbs of surrey to come to the hustle and bustle of Manchester. As she boarded the train to Manchester with her bags in the compartment her parents had decided to bring up anything else that she needed to have next weekend. She smiled back to her parents, who were waving frantically at her.

'Call me' her mother shouted.

'Mum you know I will' Margaret smiled, 'I love you'

She felt the train grow momentum and the people on the platform became a blur, Margaret smiled she was about to have one of the scariest adventures of her life.

3 3 3

Brushing the hair from her face she went got out of the train with her backpack and her suitcase, she was meant to be meeting her cousin Edith here. Edith being a second year was going to show Margaret to halls and to make sure that she was settling in, but Margaret should have known that Edith would not be early to something like this.

After waiting on the platform for half an hour, she got out her phone and began to scroll down her phonebook, Edith, she hit call.

'Hey Mags what's the matter?' Edith voice went down the phone.

'You do remember that you are meant to be meeting me at the station about half an hour ago' Margaret replied.

'Shit' Edith swore, 'I forgot, I will be there ASAP'

'No don't worry, I will get the bus or something I will see you later'

The phone went dead, Margaret sighed _great just great, my own cousin forgot about me._

Margaret looked to the train station booth maybe they would be able to point her to the university.

'Excuse me Sir' Margaret smiled, 'I was wondering do you know where the university is?'

'Fresher are you? Me daughter just started today' He replied, 'you will want to walk about 20 minutes that way my dear you cannot miss it'

'Thank you' Margaret nodded.

'Anytime love' he smiled.

Margaret smiled to him one last time and pulled her suitcase and positioned her backpack on her back and began to walk the street.

3 3 3

When Margaret got to the end of where the man had told her that the university would be, it was, he was right that you could not miss it.

Margaret smiled, she was going to be here for three years, this was to be her home now, and she was going to love it.

She looked at a piece of paper the University had sent to her upon her arriving at the uni, it told her to go to the main reception to pick up her keys to the halls that she would be staying in.

'Hello dear. How may I help you?' a old lady, well not really old but her hair was turning grey and she was wearing old lady cloths Margaret noticed, said.

'My name is Margaret Hale, I was told to come here to collect my key'

'Wait a moment dear, Hale, Hale, Yes here it is you are in 55 Milton house' the woman smiled.

'Thank you' Margaret took her key and went to look for Milton house.

It was not what she was expecting after being told what the rooms were like by Edith in her first year, she was surprised how spacious her room was, it had a bed some shelves and its own bathroom, wardrobe and a desk. Margaret smiled; this would do her for this year at least.

She was surprised by how little time it took her to move her stuff in to the room, placing her books that she was going to need for the year, most of them were fictional books, and most of them were her favourite books anyway.

She put some pictures of her family around the room so that she felt as if she was not forgetting them. Her iPod speaker along with the laptop sat on her desk. It was beginning to feel like home already.

She looked over to her clock; she was not sure what she was going to do.

She sat down on her bed, putting on her iPod before she did; she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

3 3 3

Margaret heard her phone a little while later, she looked at it; it was her alarm flashing register. She laughed, she must have set a reminder to tell her she would have to go and get her ID card.

Returning to her Hall, looking at her card, that picture was going to haunt her for the next three years, why could these things never get a good picture where they designed to make everyone look like they were evil or very unhappy. Margaret chucked it to the side, 'No good worrying about it now'

She looked down at her phone 20 missed calls; they were all from her mother. She sighed. Calling the redial button she waited for the phone to answer.

'Margaret, I was so worried'

'Mum, I was at registration calm down, I am perfectly fine, I am sorry I did not check in' she sighed.

'You will forget us' _how can I forget you when you have left me 20 missed calls?_

'Mum, I know this is hard for you but I may not be able to get back to you right away what with papers, being in the library and other uni activities. I will ring you as often as I can' Margaret grabbed her keys she would speak to her mother as she went to get some food.

'How is your room dear?'

'It is nice mum; you will see it at the weekend'

'How are you finding it? Not wanting to come home?'

'Mother, please I have been here not even a day, I have not settled in now I really must go I am about to get some food, I will speak to you later'

'Love you Margaret'

'Love you too mum, say hi to dad' Margaret shoved her phone down, sighing loudly.

'Family problems?' a voice said.

Margaret spun round and was shocked by the man that stood in front of her, he was tall dark hair and he had the most beautiful Blue eyes, 'You have no idea'

'I can guess, Mother worrying about her little girl?' He smiled.

'Something like that. It is hard on her, she is in the south and I am here'

'At least you are away from yours mine lives about half an hour away and she was mad when I told her I was moving into Halls'

'Must have been a nightmare' Margaret laughed.

'It was, I am John By the way' the man stuck out his hand.

Margaret smiled and shook his hand, 'Margaret, But I mostly go by Mags or Maggie'

'Nice to meet you' he smiled, 'So Mags what are you studying this year?'

Margaret picked up a tray and moved down the line, 'English lit'

'Wow' he replied, 'well it was nice to meet you may see you around sometime'

'Yeah sounds good' she smiled.

She went and sat down at the table, she watched John from across the room he was talking to some guys that she suspected that he had known for most of her life.

'Excuse me is this seat taken'

'No please sit down, I am Margaret and you are?'

'Elizabeth, but please call me Bessy, the only person who calls me Elizabeth is my father and that's if I have done something wrong'

'Nice to meet you Bessy'

'Your living in Milton Halls aren't ya?'

'I am, where are you staying?'

'Upstairs in Milton Halls, I am 60'

'I am 55 you should come and knock on my door if you need anything, what is it you are studying?'

'Primary school teaching'

'I am taking English Lit'

'I hear the lecturer for English is a demon'

'Really?' Margaret gulped, 'I hope it is not that bad, I really like English'

'Maybe it's just a rumour they make up to scare fresher's'

'I am sure I will find out tomorrow' Margaret smiled.

3 3 3

The next morning Margaret rushed to her first lecture, she was running late, she opened the door thankful that the lecture had not yet begun. She spotted John sitting at the back on his own; she sat next to him as he was the only one that she knew. He smiled at her when he saw her.

'I hear the lecturer for this is a nightmare' Margaret smiled. 'I did not know you were taking this class'

'Yeah, I quite like reading you know' he teased.

'I was not saying you did not' she replied.

'And apparently the lecturer is a nightmare, she is my mother'

'John I am sooo sorry, if I had known I would have not have said that'

'It's alright, I know her reputation at this college' John smiled.

Just as he said this, his mother walked in, Margaret gasped as she saw her, she looked like a woman that you would not want to mess with.

'Good Morning class, My Name is Hannah Ashe and I am your lecturer for the year, now some of you will relish in my class while some of you will not be able to cope, but all my years as a lecturer have I had a pupil drop out and I do not intend to this year' Hannah Smiled, 'Shall we see whose here?'

She read out every name stopping at John Thornton, he did not look at her, he just said yes.

'I thought she said her name was Ashe, but you are a Thornton'

'She is as well, but she uses her maiden name for work, and people will not know she is my Mother' John Whispered.

Margaret's eyes went back to Hannah who was now outlining the books that they were going to be studying this semester, first on the list Pride and Prejudice, Margaret could not believe her luck, it happened to be her favourite book, she knew it by heart. It also included other of the classics that Margaret had already read.

John watched her intently, she was something Maggie was, she looked happy to be here, and something had amused her, her eyes sparkled.

'Erm John is it?'

John's head snapped to his mother, 'Yes'

'Can you describe Mr Darcy's character in Pride and Prejudice?'

'Darcy character is someone of Great authority, he thinks that his station is above love, he is conscious of what society expects of him'

Margaret's hand shot up, 'I do not agree, Mr Darcy is misunderstood, he is a very complex character who is willing to give up everything for love, his wealth, his place in society and his own power for Elizabeth'

'Your Name?' Hannah replied bluntly.

'Margaret Hale' she blushed.

'You both make excellent points depending on what part of the book you are reading? Now can anyone tell me what the story is based on? Miss Hale?'

'It is believed to be about Jane Austen herself and her brief encounter with Tom Lefroy, she did not like the way society of women with no position were cast aside, so she created this story to show that love will conquer all' Margaret replied.

3 3 3

Margaret gathered her things when the lecture was finished; she remembered that she had to read the first three chapters of Pride and Prejudice by the next lecture, Margaret thought that this was not very hard for her to go.

'Mags' John smiled as she turned the corner.

Margaret turned around, 'John'

'I was wondering, would you be able to help me with the pride and prejudice work tomorrow, I am not sure that I am going to be able to do it'

'John, your mother is the lecturer, how am I going to help you?'

'Please' He smiled.

Margaret's breath caught when she saw him smile. 'Alright I will help you tomorrow'

'I will come by yours at seven?'

'Seven sounds good, room 55 Milton Halls' she smiled

John smiled at her one more time and went.

So what do you think, it is just setting something's up a plot will be coming soon

Emma-x-


End file.
